Hibs to swoop for Stephen Hughes??

Last updated : 05 January 2012 By Steve Forbes

According to one of today's morning tabloids (Express), Hibs boss Pat Fenlon is keen on signing former Rangers midfielder Stephen Hughes.

The 29-year-old has just left Motherwell following a second spell with the Lanarkshire club, and is a free agent.

Hughes only returned to Fir Park two months ago, but has found it hard to break into a cracking Motherwell side, that has been flying this season under Stuart McCall, and has left the club.

The Scotland internationalist started his career at Rangers, breaking through the club's youth system to make his Ibrox debut in 1999. He made 90 appearances and scored 7 goals.

Current Scotland boss Craig Levein them paid £150,000 to take him to Leicester City in 2005, he made over 100 appearances for the Foxes, scoring 7 goals.

Hughes then left the English Championship side in 2007, returning to the SPL with Motherwell, making 75 appearances and scoring 2 goals.

He was superb in his first spell at Fir Park, which earned him a move back south to Norwich City in 2009 under freedom of contract.

At first his performances for the Canaries were earning him rave reviews, and also a Scotland call-up, that won him his one and only cap, as a second half substitute, in friendly against Japan.

Hughes then suffered an ankle injury and found himself out-of-favour at Carrow Road.

He was farmed out to MK Dons to earn some match fitness after his operation, but returned to Norwich after only 6 games, and on his return agreed a mutual consent termination on his contract, which led to his return to Motherwell.

Hibs boss Fenlon is keen to add both quality and experience to his midfield as he looks to lift the Hibees away from the SPL danger zone.

He has been linked with a number of players, with Hughes the latest.